More good news for local tourism has just been announced. State parks are now open for all visitors. In the past few months, due to the pandemic, out of state guests have not been permitted to use New Mexico state parks. This restriction has helped to lower the number of COVID-19 cases in the state but has certainly been hard on the areas that depend on visitors from states, like Texas, Arizona, Colorado and other non-border states to bring revenue to the area while visiting our parks.
As it begins to warm up in New Mexico, we are all looking forward to some more time spent outside. What better way to enjoy all the beauty and enchantment this area has to offer than to visit one of our many state parks? This also gives visitors to the state more activities to do while other recreational areas wait to open at full capacity.
Of course, I am most excited that my favorite New Mexico State park, Ute Lake, will be opening to all visitors. Ute Lake is located in my (original) hometown of Logan, NM. If you’ve read my other blogs, you know how I feel about Ute lake and Logan. I go there as often as I can and I’m so excited to spend most of the summer there.
Opening Ute Lake to all visitors means my family from Texas, Oklahoma, and California (just to name a few) can join us on the lake this spring and summer.
It has been a hard winter for all of us, and truthfully a hard year. A little fun in the sun on the lake is just what to doctor ordered and I can’t wait to get out on the lake!
I can’t forget about all of the other great state parks in New Mexico that we will be able to visit now that restrictions are lifting.
Here are some of my other favorites. If you haven’t been to them yet, consider checking them out this year, you know you need an excuse to get out of the house!
I spent a lot of summers that I wasn’t at Ute at Elephant Butte. Especially during my wild college years! Elephant Butte is one of the largest lakes in the state and is a great place to check out for fishing, boating and water sports. Elephant Butte offers options for renting pontoon boats, jet skis and other water-crafts. The Butte (as us locals like to call it) has some surprisingly sandy beaches for New Mexico and is a quick drive no matter where you are, whether you’re traveling south from Albuquerque or North from Las Cruces.
Another one of my favorite state parks in New Mexico has to be Heron Lake. It was my home-away-from-home for a while and somewhere I still love to visit as often as I can. Heron Lake is a no-wake lake, so the water is the perfect place to sail or kayak on. There are some beautiful hikes in this area as well. A little farther north than the other parks on this list, makes Heron a great destination to cool off at during some of the hotter days in New Mexico. I can’t wait until my next trip up to Heron!
Nearest my now-home-town, Santa Fe, is Hyde Park. Nestled at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains at the edge of Santa Fe, Hyde Park is a beautiful spot to take in a hike or a picnic. The drive up the mountain is enjoyable any time of year and just an added bonus to making your way up to this park.
Just 16 miles south of Santa Fe is another sweet state park that hosts breathtaking views of the Turquoise Trail. From Cerrillos Hills you can see all the way from the Sandias to Jemez! There is so much history in this area, dating back over 1,100 years. Pick from one of the five miles of trails and take in the amazing sites along the way.
A little bit more of a drive from Santa Fe, but definitely worth it. Storrie Lake State Park is located in Las Vegas, NM and although it may not be the largest lake in the state, it is a great spot for a quick fishing trip, some bird watching or just playing in the water. The drive up to Las Vegas from Santa Fe is a beautiful one as well and only takes about an hour. There are also several historical sites along the way.
So if you’ve been putting off taking visiting one of New Mexico’s beautiful state parks, now is the time to plan a trip. New Mexico has so much to offer and the beauty of our state parks is just the beginning!